Improvement in refrigerators



H. w. MGKNIGHT.

`Refrigerators.

Patented Feb. 24,1874.

File/1 www A* UNITED STATES PATENT DEEICE.

HARVEY W. MCKNIGHT, OF EASTON, lL lwoo r n v AN 1A.

IMPROVEMENT IN REFRIGERATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 147,957, dated February24,1874; application filed January 7, 1874.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it knoWn that l', HARVEY YV. Mo- KNIGHT, of Easton, in the county ofNorthampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain neW anduseful Improvements y in Refrigerators and Preserving-Houses; and

I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to Which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, Which form part of this specification, in Which-Figure l is a vertical section of my invention. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection of a modification. l

My invention has for its object to produce a constant circulation orcurrent ofvcold air in and through refrigerators and preservinghousesWithout the employment of a fan or blower.

The nature of my invention consists in the peculiar arrangement andconstruction of parts, as hereinafter fully described, having referenceparticularly to the employment of induction and eduction pipes, theformer being packed in ice, and discharging their contents into thepreservingchamber near the top thereof, and the latter being of siphonshape, having internal communication with said chamber near its floor.

In Fig. l of the drawing is illustrated a building to Which myimprovements are applied, A being the preserving chamber or chamberstherein. B represents the induction pipe or pipes, made in any suitableform, straight, coiled, or otherwise, and surrounded by ice or othercooling substance. This pipe (or pipes) makes its entrance to thechamber A at b, at or near the top or ceiling of said chamber, intowhich its cooled contents are discharged. C is the eduction pipe orpipes, of siphon form, and communicating with the chamber A at or nearthe floor of said chamber, as shown at c. cl represents the apex 5 c",the short, and c3 the long leg of the siphon, terminating in a bend, c4.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The air cooled in the pipeB makes its Way into the chamber A, falling therein, and lling thesiphon C, which (on a Well-known philosophical principle) at oncedischarges its contents into the lighter, because Warmer, atmosphereoutside, thereby producing a vacuum in said chamber, which must be andis filled by cold air from the pipe B.

rlhe operation continues as long as the air in the siphon is colder thanthe outside atmosphere, and a constant circulation or current is thusvkept up Within the preservingchamber.

Ilhe operation of the siphon is aided by the Weight of the volume ofcold and heavy air inside the chamber, Which, being admitted at the top,in its fall eXpels the lighter air through the only exit-viz., thesiphon or eduction pipe. The rapidity of the current depends u'pon thelength of the long leg of the siphon, or the capacity of itsdischarge-orifice, and the tempera-ture of the outer air; hence thecirculation may be controlled by elongating or contracting the long legof the Siphon, or by contracting or expanding the diameter of its nozzleor disch arge-orifice.

`I have described the improvements above applied to a preserving-house;and when thus applied, the outer end of the inductioapipe shouldterminate Within the house,4 though not, of course, Within'thepreserving-chamber, so as to avoid taking the hot air outside, thatwithin being' usually many degrees cooler.

The house and preserving-chamber, either or both, may be packed withice; or ice or other cooling substance may be placed around theinduction-pipes B only.

The above improvements mayalso be applied to refrigerators andice-chests, and a modiiication may be substituted, as follows: Insideand just below the lid will be placed a pan or other receptacle for ice.(Shown at D in Fig. 2.) The air passes through a hole in the lid to thispan, is cooled by the ice thereon, and falls down in the chest, fillingthe siphon E, and making its exit, as above described. rIl heSiphon-pipe, in -this case, Will be arranged in theV Walls of therefrigerator or chest, communicating, by suitable openings e e', Withthe preservingeompztrtnient and outside zttnios- In testimony that Iclaim the foregoing I phere, respectively. have hereunto set my handthis 2d day of What I claim as my invention is- January, 187 4. Incombination with L cooling-chamber re- Y 1 eeiving cold :tir :tt or nearthe top, a Siphon HARVLY W' MCKNIGHT' eduetion -pipe having its longerleg' adjusta- Witnesses: ble, substantially as described, so thattheeir- GEO. C. SHELMERDINE,

euhttion may be regulated, as set forth. M. DANL. GONNOLLY.

